Garment hanger



atented ee. 22, Ai953 UNETED STATES OFFICE e Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in garment hangers and more particularly to improvements in that type of garment hanger designed to suspend trousers or skirts in upright position by engagement at the belt line.

The present invention provides a garment hanger which is simple in construction and which may be readily adjusted to accommodate trousers or skirts of Various waist dimensions. Essentially, the device comprises a pair of relatively adjustable members one oi which is provided with forking arms having ends adapted to engage within the belt line of a garment adjacent the upper end of the front trouser crease of a pair of trousers, and the other of which is provided with a garment engaging end adapted to engage within the belt line adjacent the rear seam. Means are provided for drawing the front central portion of the trousers inwardly between the fork-y ing arms comprising7 in the embodiment disclosed, a garment engaging hook carried by one end of a tension spring, the opposite end of which is anchored to one of the relatively adjustable members. Means are provided for suspending the hanger from a support, preferably including a hook connected to a loop carried between the arms of the forked member, which loop encompasses the spring just described so as to hold it approximately in its operating position. The spring may be anchored to the forked member adjacent its base, but is preferably anchored to the member which is adjustable with respect to the forked member, since this arrangement provides for increasing the tension of the spring as the device is expanded to accommodate larger garments.

The novel structure of the invention is dened with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments thereof when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan View of a garment hanger embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of said garment hanger, one of the arms being broken away to expose underlying parts;

Figure 3 is a detail view in section of a portion of the garment hanger of Figures 1 and 2.; the section being taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a detail View in section of a portion of the garment hanger of Figures 1 and 2, the section being taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a detail vie-w in section of a portion of the garment hanger of Figures 1 and 2, the section being taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a perspective View of the garment hanger of Figures 1 and 2 illustrating the manner in which a pair of trousers are supported thereon;

Figure 7 is a detail View, in plan, of a portion of a modified embodiment of the invention; and

Figure 8 is a detail view, in side elevation, of a portion of the modified form of garment hanger illustrated in Figure 7.

As illustrated in Figures 1 to 6, inclusive, the garment hanger of the present invention comprises a pair of relatively adjustable members I0 and 2t which may conveniently be made either of metal or of molded plastic composition having sufficient flexibility and resiliency. The iirst member i@ is provided with forking arms II and l2 each provided with a garment engaging end illustrated as in the form of knobs I3 preferably provided with serrations I i to minimize the tendency of a garment to slip out of engagement therewith. As shown, each of the arms II and I2 is provided with a reinforcing rib It and is of gradually increasing cross-sectional area as the juncture of the arms Si and I2 is approached, so that the flexing of the arms I I and I2 during use of the device is substantially confined to those portions of said arms between the points I5 and the ends I3.

Means are provided for adjustably connecting the second member 2i? with the member it. In the embodiment illustrated in Figures l to 6, in elusive, this means comprises a portion i6 of the member It extending from the juncture of the arms I I and I2 in a direction opposite to the direction in which those arms extend and provided with a series of bayonet slots il. The member 2i) is formed as a channel section. as shown, the interior of which fits in slidable engagement over the portion I6 of the member Iii and the upper web 2i of which seats in an offset iii of the member i6. The member 2d is also provided with a cross-pin 22 adapted to enter any of the bayonet slots I1 of the portion it and to be resiliently latched therein by snapping under a lip i3 of any of the slots l?. The member 2@ is also provided with a garment engaging end 23 provided with serrations 2d similar to the garment engaging ends I3 oi the members il and I2.

Means are provided for drawing a portion of a garment inwardly between the forking arms Il and I2 of the member I In the illustrated embodiment, this means comprises a garment engaging element in the form of a hook 30 which may be formed of metal or plastic and ribbed as at Si for reinforcement, A tension spring 32 is attaohed at one end, as at 33, to the hook 30 and at its other end, as at 34, to an anchor 35 carried by the member l0.

Means are also provided for suspending the hanger from a support. In the illustrated embodiment this means comprises a loop element d carried between the arms Il and i2 of the member it between the points i5 thereof and the juncture of said arms, being preferably pivotally mounted between the arms l l and i2 as by trunnions di Which may be snapped into aligned journals in the arms Il and i2 by a very slight flexing of the portions of the arms H and I2 between the points i5 thereof and the juncture of the arm. A conventional garment hook li?. is pivotally mounted in an aperture d3 in the upper portion of the loop d. In the assembly of the device, the spring 32 is preferably passed through the loop tid so that the latter conines the spring 32 to movement in a locus closely adjaoent the position occupied by theV spring when the device is in use, thus not onlyv facilitatingl packaging of the device, but also making it unnecessary for the user to Search and fumble for the hook 353 in using the device. v

The modified embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 is identical in all respects to the embodiment iilustrated in Figur-es 1 to 6, inclusive, except in the provisions for adjustably connecting the members i@ and E@ and anchoring the spring 32. In the modied form of the device, the extension It of the member da instead of being made in the form shown in Figures 1 to 6, inclusive, is made in the .form of a U-shaped channel ia, while the member te, instead of being made in the form shown in Figures 1 to 6, is made in the form of a fiat strip 2do and is provided with a series of holes 22a adapted to align with a single hole lh in the portion ia or" the member it. rFhis arrangement is Such that vthe member 2da may be slid in one direction or the other through the channeied portion o, of the member and anchored in any desired position Toy passing a boit 5G through the aperture ib and any desired one of the holes 22a and thereafter tightening the wing nut E l. on said bolt.

In this embodiment iilustrated in Figures '7 and 3, the spring S2, instead of being anchored to a spring anchor integral with the member IQ,y as in the embodiment illustratedl in Figures 1v to 6, inclusive, is anchored to an anchor 35a formed on the end of the member 2Go. This. arrangement is such that as the member 23a, is moved leit- Ward, as viewed in Figures 7 and 8, the spring anchor 35 is moved leftvvard a corresponding distance 'and greater tension is thus applied to the spring 32 for an advantageous purpose which wiil b ev evident in contemplating the operation of the device.

The operation of the device is clearly illustrated in Figure 6Y of the accompanying drawing show- 4 ing the garment hanger of the present invention applied to a pair of trousers. As shown, the hanger of the present invention is inserted Within the Waist band of the trousers with the garment engaging end I3 oi the arms li and l?. disposed adjacent the upper ends of the front creases of the trousers, While the garment lengaging end 23 of the member 2S is disposed adjacent the rear seam of the trousers. The hook 3@ is then grasped by the operator and, the trousers being completely closed at the front, this hook is engaged over the edge of the trousers in alignment with the front opening thereof and released so that the spring 32 may then draw that portion of the trousers in between the arms Il and I2 to the position shown; the spring 32 being so proportioned in length and strength as to hold the trousers securely upon the garment hanger in this position, with the spring 32 under substantial tension. The trousers being thus secured on the hanger, they then may be readily suspended from any convenient support by the garment hook d2.

While the device of the present invention 'is particularly designed for use as va trouser hanger having advantages in such use in preserving the crease in the front of the trousers, it will be appreciated that it is also adapted to be employed as a skirt hanger as. Well as for other garments of a generaily similar nature.

What is claimed is:

1. A garment hanger comprising a iirst member having forking arms e'ach having a garment engaging end, a second member adjustably vconnected to said first vmember and having a garment engaging end, means for drawing a portion of' a garment inwardiy between said forking arms including a garment engaging element and a tension spring connected atene end to said eiement and at its other end to one of said 'members, and means `for suspending said hanger from a support.

2. A garment hanger according to claim 1 in which the suspending means includes a loop element carried between said armsr and enclosing said tension spring.

3. A garment hanger according to claim 1 in which said other end of said spring connected to said nrst member.

4. A garment hanger according to claim 1 in which said other end of said spring is connected to said second member.

ARTI-EUR A. PEDERSEN;

References Cited in the leof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,295,551 .Leach Nov. 2,1, 1?:16 1,329,877 Barclay 3, 192i). 2,230,301 Kirkegaard Feb. 4, 19.41 2,515,544 Altley i. July 1S, 1950 21,576,089 Ehmhe. 1' 1 1 Nov. 27;, .19:51 

